We see two different visions for the office in the ads KOLR10/KOZL News is checking.
Koster Campaign Ad: "Highway Patrolman Carl Graham was gunned down ten steps from his front door. It was a crime against a father and a family. It was a crime against Missouri. Attorney General Chris Koster sent trooper Graham's Killer to death row."
Not exactly. When you hear this, it sounds like Attorney General Koster did it on his own.
Koster was Attorney General when Graham's killer was convicted. However, Koster's campaign admits assistant attorneys general tried the case. The Koster campaign forwarded us a statement:
Statement from Page Bellamy- Assistant Attorney General and Division Chief of the Public Safety Division:
"Attorney General Koster was involved in strategy meetings concerning the case, was responsible for the decision to seek the death penalty, and was regularly in touch with me throughout the trial."
The claim that Chris Koster put Graham's killer on death row is misleading and incomplete. He headed up the Missouri Attorney General's Office during the trial, conviction, and sentencing in 2009. However, this case first started when prosecutors filed charges in early 2005 and Koster didn't prosecute this case himself.
Koster Campaign Ad: "While Koster has spent his life protecting the people of Missouri. His opponent has never even had a jury trial or put a single criminal behind bars. And Missouri's top law enforcement job isn't where beginners go to learn."
Attorney General Christ Koster's experience includes time as a prosecutor, a state senator and assistant attorney general. His Republican opponent Ed Martin has been the chief of staff for former Gov. Matt Blunt, a director of the Human Rights Office for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, he has law experience, but he has not been a prosecuting attorney. Martin's campaign didn't point us to anything we may be overlooking. So this claim is true.
Martin Campaign Ad: "Unlike my opponent I don't have gazillions from trial lawyers, so I'm not going to make your time or money."
We're not going to fully go through this one. The claim isn't specific. Gazillion is a fictional number. Chris Koster has received campaign donations from attorney's. Martin also received money from attorneys. Seeing as the ad doesn't give us a full amount to check, we're not going to count it all up. Still, the last ethics filings show Koster is the clear leader in fundraising.
Martin Campaign Ad: "Here in St. Louis I fought corruption."
Martin was chairperson of the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners. Democrats point out some legal allegations settled regarding staffing. However, Martin has denied those claims in interviews with other media. We'll continue looking into Martin's history. This is a broad claim: he fought corruption. Keeping elections fair is was part of the job of the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners. So, we believe this claim is true.
Martin Campaign Ad: "I'm a sportsman, I'll protect our constitutional rights."
This is a campaign promise. We should point out for perspective, that National Rifle Association endorsed Martin's opponent Chris Koster.
Martin Campaign Ad: "My wife's a doctor, I'll take on Obamacare."
This is another campaign promise.
Martin Campaign Ad: "I'll fight regulations that kill crops and jobs."
Martin doesn't list any specific regulations here. Each regulation will have its own results. Martin is again making a campaign promise.
Martin Campaign Ad: "My opponent raised his office pay. I'll cut mine."
Martin's campaign says office pay for the highest paid people in the office went up -- it checks out. However, according to executive budgets, Koster's office has spent less money than his predecessor did in his last full fiscal year. The Missouri Attorney General doesn't determine his or her own salary. The process is outlined in the Missouri constitution. So, this claim is misleading.
View a sample ballot
Complete list of Greene County polling locations
Greene
County Polling Place Changes: What You Need to Know
